Contact: Alaina Dismukes
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥敶笙驛PP is collaborating with global partners to reduce the risks of antimicrobial resistance worldwide for a safer and healthier tomorrow.
Seto Ogunleye, MSU doctoral candidate in veterinary medical science with a concentration in infectious disease and immunology, participated in the American Society for Microbiology Hill鈥檚 Day of Antimicrobial Resistance held this past fall in Washington, D.C. The event saw policymakers learn from scientists and experts the significance of innovative research to reduce the risks of antimicrobial resistance emerging and spreading in the U.S. and around the world.
鈥淚t is important that we fight together against resistant pathogens,鈥 Ogunleye said. 鈥淭his issue is important here and beyond the shores of America. It is a worldwide issue, which is why it is so important to have the support of policymakers, taking a One Health approach to enhance antimicrobial resistance-related research.鈥
Several factors contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance.
鈥淎ntimicrobial resistance is a natural phenomenon that occurs when pathogens are exposed to antimicrobial agents, making it more likely that a pathogen will gain resistance over time,鈥 he said. 鈥淎lso, using an antibiotic in a lower dosage than prescribed will not be sufficient enough to kill the pathogens and can lead to resistance.
鈥淚t is important to promote the development of new types of antimicrobial agents to treat the pathogens, and to enhance adaptability and responsible use of antimicrobial agents. Additionally, vaccinations play an important role in fighting off pathogens from the start, so later treatment is not necessary.鈥
Hossam Abdelhamed, MSU College of Veterinary Medicine faculty member currently serving as principal investigator of a U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture project on antimicrobial resistance, said antimicrobial resistance is an important issue in many sectors of animal production, including aquaculture.
鈥淎ppropriate antimicrobial stewardship is critical to sustain efficacy of antimicrobial agents and ensure aquaculture producers have adequate treatment options for maximum production efficiency, profitability and sustainability,鈥 Abdelhamed said.
MSU is leading the charge to reduce the burden of disease in the aquaculture industry through innovative tools and advancing antimicrobial resistance research. The university is home to a U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization Reference Center on Antimicrobial Resistance and Aquaculture Biosecurity through the MSU Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security, or GCAHFS, which is affiliated with the university鈥檚 College of Veterinary Medicine. The designation of MSU as an FAO Reference Center emphasizes the university鈥檚 expertise and global leadership in antimicrobial resistance and aquaculture biosecurity.
鈥淢SU faculty, staff and students are working together with collaborators around the nation and the world to find innovative solutions to the threat of antimicrobial resistance,鈥 said Stephen Reichley, head of the FAO Reference Center on Antimicrobial Resistance and Aquaculture Biosecurity, associate director of GCAHFS, and CVM faculty member. 聽聽Abdelhamed and his lab have produced impressive and impactful results that are shaping our approach. Ogunleye鈥檚 participation in the ASM Hill鈥檚 Day of Antimicrobial Resistance is another fantastic example of the engagement of our graduate students in this work.鈥
To learn more about GCAHFS, visit . More information on the FAO Reference Center on Antimicrobial Resistance and Aquaculture Biosecurity can be found at .